Coast and marine category: Danny Green, Sanderlings Running, highly commended.
"Sanderlings migrate from their Arctic tundra breeding grounds to the UK to spend the winter feeding on our estuaries. When they feed, they have to constantly run backwards and forwards to avoid the incoming tide. I spent the whole day trying to capture this behavior but they are so fast I found it extremely difficult to keep up with them."

Animal portraits category: Steward Ellett, Curiosity, highly commended.
"It was a very dull day and not perfect for photography, but I decided to see what I could get. After about an hour waiting, without any notice, this red squirrel appeared directly in front of where my camera was pointing. He stood up and posed perfectly, after a few snaps he was gone."

Animal behaviour category: David Slater, Blackbirds Fighting, winner.
"In the Forest of Dean. The deep snow in February 2009 made the forest silent and spectacular.
I braved the icy conditions to visit a quiet spot where I knew hungry birds would welcome some
food. I saw many fights by blackbirds and immediately knew this was my goal for a photo.
Came close on the first day, but on the second morning, before the sun hit the snow, this was the
third frame of the day! Both birds in focus! I couldn't believe it."

Animal behaviour category: Andy Fisher, Brown Hare.
"This young brown hare seemed to be testing his speed when I came across him in Hertfordshire early one morning in summer. I saw him running up and down a footpath at top speed and managed to take this picture just as he approached me."

Animal portraits category: David Slater, Collapsed Honey Bee.
"I was walking my dogs along the local cycle track in the Forest of Dean when my eye was caught by
this bee on a blade of grass in the shade. It had been a warm day and thought it strange the bee had sought the shade. My dogs wanted to nosey at what I was doing, lying on the floor, so after just three frames I left the bee to sleep, hoping it would recover from its long hard day."

Animal behaviour category: Duncan Shaw, Cuckoo.
"This adult male cuckoo is being mobbed by a passing meadow pipit, which is carrying food for its own young. Taken on 29 May 2009, in Glen Gairn, Aberdeenshire.

Animal behaviour category: Ron McCombe, Herring Gull with Guillemot Chick, highly commended.
"I was on the Farne Islands (Inner Farne), photographing guillemots and razorbills. I noticed the herring gull circling low over the guillemot colony and the guillemots getting very agitated and vociferous every time the gull passed. I watched the gull come around three times, then on the fourth, it stooped and disappeared into the guillemot colony and emerged with the chick in its bill. I think the pictures shows that nature can be quite hard at times. It was a very bright day, I wanted the fast shutter speed to freeze the action and I compensated -1 stop to ensure no wash-out on the feather detail on the white bird and took the shot. The whole action lasted about three seconds so there was no room for error."

Animal portraits category: Andrew Parkinson, Rabbit Kitten with Nettles.
"I had, for many years, hoped to find an ideal site for photographing rabbits, when I stumbled upon one such location in Norfolk. Staying low to create a more
intimate feel, I was fortunate when one kitten sat up and looked liked it was trying to avoid being stung."

Animal portraits category: Ian Mason, Slick Chick, highly commended.
"To obtain a low point of view, I was sitting in a burn below a small waterfall, with the lens fractionally below water level. Calm water, late evening sunshine with light rain and storm clouds. Reeds in background. Almost full frame. A pair of mute swans had survived repeated airgun attacks and thankfully produced eight delightful cygnets. This typical teenager wanted to play for the camera. The cygnet slowly approached then suddenly sat up, holding this position for less than half a second. I wish the airgun owners would see this image and stop to reflect."

Animal portraits category: Tim Gregory, 12 Point Stag.
"I followed this stag for two hours until he disappeared into a ditch for around 10 minutes. When he emerged facing me, the setting sun provided the perfect backlighting as he shook off all the mud and water."

Habitat category: Craig Jones, Family Life.
"A photographic account of life for a family of shags on the rocky stacks of Staple Island, one of the many islands that make up the Farne Islands in Northumbria. In this photograph, I wanted to capture the adult on the left and the mother and her chicks on the right. The mainland can be seen in the distance as well as the shags' nest of rotting seaweed and twigs held together by the birds' own guano. I became covered in guano obtaining this photograph. They are beautiful birds with their dark, glossy green plumage and have a prehistoric look about them. I have always found them fascinating."

Coast and marine category: Sarah Sands, Dogfish Egg Case.
"I had to work quickly as the tide was on its way in and
the light was on its way out. I was fascinated by the
translucency and the smoothness of the egg case
contrasting against the textures of the seaweed."

Animal behaviour category: David J Slater, Wild Boar Sow with Newborn Piglet.
"This picture is the result of a project to document the elusive wild boar in the Forest of Dean. In a
remote area, I discovered this sow giving birth. I dared not photograph her at first in case she either
abandoned the piglets or attacked me. Over the next two days, I slowly let her know I was no threat
until she eventually relaxed. I got within 10 metres of her well-hidden nest, where I would softly talk
to her as I took a series of pictures. I had to think very hard about how, and where, I could approach
her each day. The nest was in the shade and all manner of twigs and bracken blocking my view
made photography very tricky. After five days, the whole family departed safely and I lost track of them."

Hidden Britain category: Neil Bygrave, Emperor Dragonfly.
"While on an outing for macro flower photography, I noticed this
beautiful insect perched on a lily pad. Luckily I'd brought my "butterfly/dragonfly gear" just in case, the longer working distance proving its worth here and by lying on the pond edge I managed to get this
image."

Habitat category: Marcin Zagorski, Like a Stone, highly commended.
"Image of a mountain hare taken in the Peak District National Park in February 2009 on my second day of shooting wildlife on an open moorland. During a break I noticed a funny looking stone in the distance and only a closer look revealed it was not a stone at all."

Coast and marine category: Alexander Mustard, Eye to Eye.
"Tompot blennies are probably Britain's most charismatic small fish and are popular subjects for photographers. I wanted to create a fresh in-the-face portrait of these cheeky chaps and travelled to Swanage in July to catch them in prime breeding colours. It is quite a strange feeling diving below the pier, striving for that perfect wildlife image, while holidaymakers enjoy the summer sun, just a few metres above".